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Ma Maren Ma

Jony Iliev is a Bulgarian folk artist, so far with just the one album out Ma Maren Ma, when it comes to the traditional gypsy folk male singers - I tend to think of a middle aged man with a protruding gut, proudly dangling traditional jewellery in a way that Ron Atkinson would be proud of. Jony Iliev is young and goes for the more cool look, with a rugged beer and long hair (not far off my own look really)

The band play Bulgarian gypsy music but with a very Turkish sound to it, unlike a lot of other bands from the same genre they take their time when it comes to making their music, it sounds almost progressive in the build ups and not as frantic as their northern or western neighbours from Romania, Serbia and Macedonia. Jony is not just a bit of eye candy for a genre which traditionally seems to attract female music listeners, his voice is powerful and very similar to the much acclaimed flamenco orientated Reyes brothers from the Gypsy Kings.

This is a good album that differs to their contemporaries with more stronger mood changes and loud vocals than the often frantic wind instrument filled tracks of today's Bulgarian folk music. Jony and his band originate from the town of Kjustendil near Macedonia and from the biggest machala (gypsy suburbs) in the country and he started off singing young, singing all night long at weddings from the age of 10. Beat that Rik Waller.